Cherry Wine Base

[Julie]

I won't use cocoa powder, your wine will be harder to clear. I normally use Lindt's dark chocolate, can't remember how much per gallon but let me look at my notes.

 

[dcbrown73]

When using fruit bases, do I need to add pectic enzyme, yeast energizer, or yeast nutrients? I know from fresh fruit I need too, but I don't know if the fruit base comes similar to wine kits where it isn't necessary.

My intention for clearing is SuperKleer or whatever it's now called. Dual Fine or something.

 

[Jericurl]

When using fruit bases, do I need to add pectic enzyme, yeast energizer, or yeast nutrients? I know from fresh fruit I need too, but I don't know if the fruit base comes similar to wine kits where it isn't necessary.

My intention for clearing is SuperKleer or whatever it's now called. Dual Fine or something.

Yes, you will need to use pectic enzyme especially, but you still need some yeast energizer and yeast nutrients.

 

[dcbrown73]

Yes, you will need to use pectic enzyme especially, but you still need some yeast energizer and yeast nutrients.

Thank you!

 

[drainsurgeon]

i did run across a chocolate recipe...it did use cocoa powder. It was one of Jacks recipes i do believe.

I picked up a recipe from Jack's site, it's Black Raspberry Chocolate Port. He uses Dutched Cocoa in this recipe. I'll be making in in the spring and can't wait.

 

[dcbrown73]

I actually posted this a few days in another thread, but it passed silently. I'm hoping I can get some feedback.

I think I may have screwed up the batch, but I would like your opinion.

After I moved it out of the primary fermentor and into a six gallon carboy. It still had gas in it, but I didn't top it up. After reading around, I was under the impression that the cherry base had SO2 in it. Between the gas left and the SO2, I figured it would be okay until I figured out what to do with it. (add everclear or more juice)

Well, due to the holidays and getting sick. It ended up sitting like that for two weeks. I finally got around to racking it last night. I tasted it and it was ROUGH tasting. Much worse than I remember. Rough enough that it was overpowering the flavors. (I have not back sweetened at all, so it's dry and the darkest cherry wine I've seen thus far by a long shot)

I tested the SO2 levels and it was basically non-existent. (yikes!) So, it's basically been exposed for 3 weeks if you include fermentation (I started it on 12/3/2016)

I added 2lbs of 72% cacao chocolate after racking and 2 1/2 cups of walnuts and 2 grams of SO2 to bring it's SO2 levels up to 50ppm for now. I also topped it up with Welch's Black Cherry 100% juice. (it took about 75% of a 32oz bottle) I expect to let it sit for 2-4 weeks on the chocolate/walnuts before I rack it again.

I would love someone's opinion on if I have ruined it or if this is just how it's expected to taste at this point. (being completely dry and very dark cherry)

I hope it's still good. I had high hopes for this batch invested quite a bit on it for all the cherries, walnuts, chocolate, and cherry base. I would hate to lose it.​

 

[Mismost]

dcbrown...my gut feeling is you are OK...just back away from the carboy and relax....we will all know for sure in about a month.

Heck, even if it is bad then, you can keep on tweaking....I got a nasty one over here on the corner of my desk....we have been wrassling with each other for 7 months...now it may win, but I ain't tired of trying....yet. never dumped one before (but this might be a good one start with).

 

[ceeaton]

I actually posted this a few days in another thread, but it passed silently. I'm hoping I can get some feedback.

I think I may have screwed up the batch, but I would like your opinion.

After I moved it out of the primary fermentor and into a six gallon carboy. It still had gas in it, but I didn't top it up. After reading around, I was under the impression that the cherry base had SO2 in it. Between the gas left and the SO2, I figured it would be okay until I figured out what to do with it. (add everclear or more juice)

Well, due to the holidays and getting sick. It ended up sitting like that for two weeks. I finally got around to racking it last night. I tasted it and it was ROUGH tasting. Much worse than I remember. Rough enough that it was overpowering the flavors. (I have not back sweetened at all, so it's dry and the darkest cherry wine I've seen thus far by a long shot)

I tested the SO2 levels and it was basically non-existent. (yikes!) So, it's basically been exposed for 3 weeks if you include fermentation (I started it on 12/3/2016)

I added 2lbs of 72% cacao chocolate after racking and 2 1/2 cups of walnuts and 2 grams of SO2 to bring it's SO2 levels up to 50ppm for now. I also topped it up with Welch's Black Cherry 100% juice. (it took about 75% of a 32oz bottle) I expect to let it sit for 2-4 weeks on the chocolate/walnuts before I rack it again.

I would love someone's opinion on if I have ruined it or if this is just how it's expected to taste at this point. (being completely dry and very dark cherry)

I hope it's still good. I had high hopes for this batch invested quite a bit on it for all the cherries, walnuts, chocolate, and cherry base. I would hate to lose it.​

I've let batches go with zero SO2 for four months (waiting for MLF to complete). No way your CO2 went to zero, and that is probably adding to its roughness. Most fruit wines take a year to round out, so you've got a way to go.

I didn't see that you added any sorbate, so I suspect that the added chocolate and juice may start fermenting again, even with high SO2 levels.

Your fine, it's really young. If you left it for 5 or 6 months without adding Kmeta then I might start to get concerned.

 

[dcbrown73]

Sorry, I did add sorbate as I expected to do at least a little backsweetening, though I had ideas of a port style cherry also.

Also, when I tested the SO2 with my Vinemertica. I only used .2lm of reactant. .2 x 20 = 4ppm so2.

 

[drainsurgeon]

I actually posted this a few days in another thread, but it passed silently. I'm hoping I can get some feedback.

I think I may have screwed up the batch, but I would like your opinion.

After I moved it out of the primary fermentor and into a six gallon carboy. It still had gas in it, but I didn't top it up. After reading around, I was under the impression that the cherry base had SO2 in it. Between the gas left and the SO2, I figured it would be okay until I figured out what to do with it. (add everclear or more juice)

Well, due to the holidays and getting sick. It ended up sitting like that for two weeks. I finally got around to racking it last night. I tasted it and it was ROUGH tasting. Much worse than I remember. Rough enough that it was overpowering the flavors. (I have not back sweetened at all, so it's dry and the darkest cherry wine I've seen thus far by a long shot)

I tested the SO2 levels and it was basically non-existent. (yikes!) So, it's basically been exposed for 3 weeks if you include fermentation (I started it on 12/3/2016)

I added 2lbs of 72% cacao chocolate after racking and 2 1/2 cups of walnuts and 2 grams of SO2 to bring it's SO2 levels up to 50ppm for now. I also topped it up with Welch's Black Cherry 100% juice. (it took about 75% of a 32oz bottle) I expect to let it sit for 2-4 weeks on the chocolate/walnuts before I rack it again.

I would love someone's opinion on if I have ruined it or if this is just how it's expected to taste at this point. (being completely dry and very dark cherry)

I hope it's still good. I had high hopes for this batch invested quite a bit on it for all the cherries, walnuts, chocolate, and cherry base. I would hate to lose it.​

Don't give up the ship yet. Time and tweaking are wine makers best friends. I had a mango/pineapple/peach wine that I made this summer. It was quite a challange to make this drinkable. For months I tweaked. Added grapefruit and lemon zest, mango concentrate, raisins. It still had a bite. The alcohol was a tad high.(about 13.5%) so I thinned it with a peach/mango juice (down to about 12%) and that did the trick. Now 5 months later it has come to be one of my favorites and is getting better by the month. Only problem now is by the time its a year old there won't be much left. I now understand the idea of bulk aging to keep from drinking it. Choc/cherry sounds tasty. I'm betting that just a little patience and perseverance will win this battle for ya!

 

[dcbrown73]

I took a taste last night. Even after just under two weeks, it tasted substantially better this time around. I'm starting to taste the chocolate, but it's the walnuts that I could really taste. That might be due to me thieving out of the neck of the bottle which is where all the walnuts are floating.

I'm excited about it after last nights tasting!

 

[Scooter68]

Note to ALL - This may not bother some or most of you but My problem with this brand is that the contents are not 100% of the fruit on the label. In other words you are buying a flavored product e.g this is the list of contents on a jug of the Cherry Wine Base: High Fructose Corn Syrup; Apple, Pear, Cherry & Grape Juice Concentrates; Water; Citric Acid; Natural Flavors.

Now given that 9 times out of 10 items are listed in the same order of the percentage of that item, Cherry is of a relatively low content in this wine base. So you are buying an Apple wine base flavored with Pear and Cherry and Grape. So you are not getting 100% Cherry Wine Base with Sugar and pH additives you are buying A BLENDED WINE BASE.

Here is the label for the Apricot Wine base: High Fructose Corn Syrup; Apple, Pear & Apricot Juice Concentrates; Water; Citric Acid; Malic Acid; Natural Flavors.


I've checked out this brand before and nothing has changed - they are marketing it as Wine base, which it is but the fruit variety on the label is not the only fruit in the base and in fact is probably in a relatively low quantity in that base. Yet the price is the same or higher than VH's pure products.


Sorry for the rant but.... I know how many folks on here like to talk about how they use NO WATER and XX pounds of fruit for their wine. Being picky here but the fine print matters for some of us.

 

[hounddawg]

hey scooter68.
i make country wines and pick or havefriendspick 95% of my fruitsfresh, from non sprayed trees, but here lately with a below the knee right leg amputee, and 1/3of left foot amputee. so my picking isstarting to wane, i have used some concentrates from HOMEWINERY.COM ,,, i really like their product. and i have talked to the owner. better then 50 years in bussiness, any thoughts on this product, i can say any country wines i've made from theiyr concintrates has been very good indeed....
Dawg





QUOTE=Scooter68;634143]Note to ALL - This may not bother some or most of you but My problem with this brand is that the contents are not 100% of the fruit on the label. In other words you are buying a flavored product e.g this is the list of contents on a jug of the Cherry Wine Base: High Fructose Corn Syrup; Apple, Pear, Cherry & Grape Juice Concentrates; Water; Citric Acid; Natural Flavors.

Now given that 9 times out of 10 items are listed in the same order of the percentage of that item, Cherry is of a relatively low content in this wine base. So you are buying an Apple wine base flavored with Pear and Cherry and Grape. So you are not getting 100% Cherry Wine Base with Sugar and pH additives you are buying A BLENDED WINE BASE.

Here is the label for the Apricot Wine base: High Fructose Corn Syrup; Apple, Pear & Apricot Juice Concentrates; Water; Citric Acid; Malic Acid; Natural Flavors.


I've checked out this brand before and nothing has changed - they are marketing it as Wine base, which it is but the fruit variety on the label is not the only fruit in the base and in fact is probably in a relatively low quantity in that base. Yet the price is the same or higher than VH's pure products.


Sorry for the rant but.... I know how many folks on here like to talk about how they use NO WATER and XX pounds of fruit for their wine. Being picky here but the fine print matters for some of us.[/QUOTE]

 

[Scooter68]

I understand your point hounddawg - It's just that some of us want a pure taste of a fruit like Cherry or Blueberry. Apples, Pears, and Grapes have their own flavors and that's why I mention this, obviously, the flavor of a wine made from that blended base may be dominated buy the fruit on the label but it won't be purely that fruit flavor. The Apples, Pears, and Grapes will influence that flavor. For a 'purist' that makes a difference. That's one the main reasons I got into home wine making - All the Berry wines I found at the time were in fact blended wines with the 'berry' on the label being 2nd, 3rd, or even 4th in the label of contents. I'd rather be the one choosing to blend or not blend my fruit flavors. It's sorta like the old days of buying an Oldmobile with a Rocket 88 engine listed on the Sticker, only to open the hood and find Chevy Labels on the Valve covers.